In electronic devices and electrical components which must satisfy special requirements with respect to lasting sealing properties, the so-called feedthroughs around a terminal lead are especially critical regions. As a result, the design thereof has been the focus of special attention for years in devices such as implantable medical electronic devices (e.g., pacemakers, implantable cardioverters, cochlear implants, implantable neurostimulators, and the like). Producing the feedthrough from suitable ceramics, specifically surrounded by a metallic flange of the housing, has become established technology.
Specifically, for electrochemical components, such as, for example, batteries or electrolytic capacitors, a feedthrough is known from International Publication No. WO 2005/001997 A2, wherein a guide element made of a polymer is provided for receiving the terminal lead. From U.S. Publication No. 2007/0225771, a feedthrough assembly is known, which is used, for example, in a power source encasement of an implantable medical device and, in which, between the terminal lead and a ceramic or glass ring (forming the largest part of the feedthrough in terms of volume) a thin sleeve is provided, which is used, among other things, for compensating for the tolerances in the thermally highly sensitive metal-ceramic structure of the feedthrough. The thin sleeve can, in particular, be made of stainless steel, aluminum or titanium.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,825,608, a feedthrough of an electronic device is known, which at the same time acts as a filter capacitor and can be used, for example, in implantable devices, such as pacemakers. In this feedthrough, a conductive polymer resin is used to establish electrical connections in a feedthrough body, which otherwise is substantially made of ceramics.
However, problems with respect to production tolerances and thermal loads are present when using conventional “hard” insulating materials, such as ceramics.
The present invention is directed at overcoming one or more of the above-identified problems.